If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

This would mean the Pacers would have the most MiP Awardies on a roster ever wouldn't it??? Pretty incredible accomplishment would it not??

Now I'm not trying to say it will happen, who knows, but let's just say Lance averages 15 or more points for the rest of the season. How could a guy who jumped his scoring average 7 POINTS not get the MiP??? Land slide victory!!

Three guys who won the award, and one who probably should have won it at some point in Roy Hibbert.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

He's really starting to make a solid case for himself. But there are also others who are stepping up. Bledsoe is one. And his teammate Paul George also is showing a big leap from last year, although I doubt that MIP can be won more than once.

Although it's still ahead of the season, Lance should be in the talks right now. If he can consistently put on the numbers he's putting right now, he'll be a top candidate to win it.

A bit of a trivia: The Indiana Pacers team is the home of 4 MIP awardees since its conception in 1985-1986 season, 2nd behind Orlando Magic which have 5. Maybe we can use that as a selling point to lure free agents with heavy potential.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to aamcguy For This Useful Post:

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Another problem facing Lance's chances is the fact that he needs to also be the top 2 guy for this team at least. Eric Bledsoe right now is jumping from a CP3 backup to the main man in the Suns putting up big numbers. And because of limited offensive options there in Phoenix, we can see Bledsoe continue to keep up those stats for the majority of the season barring an injury. If we notice the pattern of the MIP winners from recent years, most of them are leading their respective teams when they won the award. JO, Jalen, DG, PG, Kevin Love, Monta, Arenas, ZBo and TMac just did that.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

He's really starting to make a solid case for himself. But there are also others who are stepping up. Bledsoe is one. And his teammate Paul George also is showing a big leap from last year, although I doubt that MIP can be won more than once.

Although it's still ahead of the season, Lance should be in the talks right now. If he can consistently put on the numbers he's putting right now, he'll be a top candidate to win it.

A bit of a trivia: The Indiana Pacers team is the home of 4 MIP awardees since its conception in 1985-1986 season, 2nd behind Orlando Magic which have 5. Maybe we can use that as a selling point to lure free agents with heavy potential.

Would be kind of funny if Paul won it again, but technically why not? He has improved his stats way more substantially this year from last as he did last year from the year prior to last, if he keeps up his current pace, and that is one of the toughest jumps you can make the all-star to super-stat leap. If PG keeps up his current rate let him be what I presume would be the first back to back MIP ever lol.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Would be kind of funny if Paul won it again, but technically why not? He has improved his stats way more substantially this year from last as he did last year from the year prior to last, if he keeps up his current pace, and that is one of the toughest jumps you can make the all-star to super-stat leap. If PG keeps up his current rate let him be what I presume would be the first back to back MIP ever lol.

Well the winner is dictated by a panel vote so I doubt somebody will vote for PG again, just in case PG keeps up his performance, simply because PG has been doing what doing right now in the last playoffs, so his breakout this year is somewhat "as expected." So it doesn't get the surprise factor that I think is one of the keys that voters will look for in an MIP candidate.

Well we're so much ahead talking about this, so let's see how the other potential candidates will do.

Another bit of trivia: All winners of the MIP award, past or present, have never won an NBA championship throughout their careers as players. Will PG break that curse? I really do hope so.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Well the winner is dictated by a panel vote so I doubt somebody will vote for PG again, just in case PG keeps up his performance, simply because PG has been doing what doing right now in the last playoffs, so his breakout this year is somewhat "as expected." So it doesn't get the surprise factor that I think is one of the keys that voters will look for in an MIP candidate.

Well we're so much ahead talking about this, so let's see how the other potential candidates will do.

Another bit of trivia: All winners of the MIP award, past or present, have never won an NBA championship throughout their careers as players. Will PG break that curse? I really do hope so.

He wasn't this good in the playoffs, but you are right about the expected thing. MIP probably typically goes to a player whose improvement wasn't exactly expected, which makes it seem more impressive.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Calm down folks. Eric Bledsoe is currently averaging 21 ppg and 7.2 assists, after averaging 8.5/3.1 in 76 games last season. If he keeps THAT up, nobody will touch that. If you're looking for a landslide win, that's it right there.

And don't get me wrong, I love that Lance has shown improvement yet again, I'm just trying to be as realistic as possible.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Calm down folks. Eric Bledsoe is currently averaging 21 ppg and 7.2 assists, after averaging 8.5/3.1 in 76 games last season. If he keeps THAT up, nobody will touch that. If you're looking for a landslide win, that's it right there.

And don't get me wrong, I love that Lance has shown improvement yet again, I'm just trying to be as realistic as possible.

But in that situation you do have to consider how much of it is actual improvement and how much of it is just an increased role. That is something that I think made Paul such an obvious choice to outsiders last season. At the beginning of the season he kind of sucked as the number one option, so when he did actually take his game to another level it was obvious that it wasn't just an increased role, but that he actually did improve.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

But in that situation you do have to consider how much of it is actual improvement and how much of it is just an increased role. That is something that I think made Paul such an obvious choice to outsiders last season. At the beginning of the season he kind of sucked as the number one option, so when he did actually take his game to another level it was obvious that it wasn't just an increased role, but that he actually did improve.

The higher opportunity argument is not that relevant for this award because that is exactly what dictates who wins it 9 out of 10 times. Should be called the who got a better opportunity and did the most with it award.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

The higher opportunity argument is not that relevant for this award because that is exactly what dictates who wins it 9 out of 10 times. Should be called the who got a better opportunity and did the most with it award.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Bledsoe, Vucevic, Kanter, and Isaiah Thomas are all having great years. Favors, Gerald Henderson, and a few others are on the radar. I think this is hard for a guy who isn't even the second option on the team, nor a big man.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Bledsoe, Vucevic, Kanter, and Isaiah Thomas are all having great years. Favors, Gerald Henderson, and a few others are on the radar. I think this is hard for a guy who isn't even the second option on the team, nor a big man.

Um, Lance has the 2nd most shot attempts, is the 2nd leading scorer, and is second on the team in usage. As of right now, he *is* the second option. Granted, Paul G's usage thus far is so insane that Lance isn't as heavily used as the second options on other teams...

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Me thinks some of you didnt see the first half against the Bulls. Or are completely ignoring it. Lance is fun. And hes come soooo far. People like to refer to him as being and playing on the edge. We had another player that played on the edge. Many used to refer to him as a ticking time bomb. Lance is no different. One of these times when he has a series of events like he did in the first half of Chicago hes not going to be able to restrain himself. And after he gets a big contract this summer thats going to be even more likely. I dont trust him. Not even one little bit. Love him....but dont trust him. Tick tock.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Um, Lance has the 2nd most shot attempts, is the 2nd leading scorer, and is second on the team in usage. As of right now, he *is* the second option. Granted, Paul G's usage thus far is so insane that Lance isn't as heavily used as the second options on other teams...

Probably skewed a bit due to GHill not playing in 3 out of the 5 games.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Me thinks some of you didnt see the first half against the Bulls. Or are completely ignoring it. Lance is fun. And hes come soooo far. People like to refer to him as being and playing on the edge. We had another player that played on the edge. Many used to refer to him as a ticking time bomb. Lance is no different. One of these times when he has a series of events like he did in the first half of Chicago hes not going to be able to restrain himself. And after he gets a big contract this summer thats going to be even more likely. I dont trust him. Not even one little bit. Love him....but dont trust him. Tick tock.

Even the best players struggle at some point in the game then starts to light off and ends up with a great performance. So I don't see that struggle as much of a problem for Lance. If you can get it done late in the game and contribute to a win then it doesn't matter much if he messed up in the early part.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Um, Lance has the 2nd most shot attempts, is the 2nd leading scorer, and is second on the team in usage. As of right now, he *is* the second option. Granted, Paul G's usage thus far is so insane that Lance isn't as heavily used as the second options on other teams...

That said, agree that the early favorite has got to be Bledsoe.

I don't think he can't keep it that way for long this year. Not because I think he'll hit a "wall", but because he's playing in a team with 3 or 4 more guys other than PG who can put up good numbers on many games this season. David West is starting to heat up, Roy Hibbert has yet to get his scoring back, George Hill has missed some games, Danny Granger has yet to start a game, and Luis Scola is also starting to get into the groove. Then you have CJ Watson who can also contribute.

If Lance can keep those numbers up, that is great for the team and for him individually, and like I've said he'll be in consideration because solid jump plus consistent production plus winning record can get you votes for MIP. But with the makeup of this team I doubt that he will get lots of opportunities to keep his stats up, especially scoring, and notice the statistical jump. And that's why the likes of Bledsoe (and others like Vucevic) gets the edge over Lance because he is the only solid option out there in his team and he has all the opportunities out there to keep his numbers up and beat the competitors for the title.

Re: If Lance continues to play this level and wins the MIP

Um, Lance has the 2nd most shot attempts, is the 2nd leading scorer, and is second on the team in usage. As of right now, he *is* the second option. Granted, Paul G's usage thus far is so insane that Lance isn't as heavily used as the second options on other teams...